Determining one's HIV status may soon be possible with a quick trip to the pharmacy for a free rapid test through a program being piloted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The pilot program is designed to test the feasibility of routinely offering HIV testing at US pharmacies and retail clinics, alongside other routine health testing such as blood pressure monitoring and cholesterol screening. During the 2-year program, pharmacists and retail clinic clinicians from 12 urban and 12 rural pharmacies in areas with a high prevalence of HIV or a substantial unmet need for HIV testing will be trained to administer the tests, counsel patients, and refer those with positive results for services.